Hey fellow MA bandsters,

SherryW and I are interested in starting a thread for all our MA bandsters so we can get to know our neighbors! We hope you join in!

I'll start.....

My name is Chris, I am 32, have been overweight since I was 5 years old, although I am at an all-time high right now. My band date is October 2nd, and I cannot wait!! I am single and dating, I work in insurance, and I have a great and supportive family & group of friends - including SherryW and her DH. lol. Oh yeah, my mother is also getting banded, and she is having surgery one week before me.

I'd love to meet my other MA bandsters and hear about your progress!

Chris

I'm sure it will be ok, I went in filled out a questioner, spoke to dr assis, then spoke to the dr and that was it, oh yah they weight you also and tell you what you BMI is. Then went to see his secy and she made all my

other appointments and that was the end of that.

The first consultation consists of meeting with Adam ir Arthur. Go over the band a bit more, take your weight, height, picture (smile), and go over the process with you. He will then give you a checklist of things you need to do: Sleep Study at Norwood Hosp, Nutritionist Appt at Norwood Hosp., Lab paperwork for bloodwork, Letter from your primary care Doc saying surgery is ok, Phsych eval with Physch across the street from Norwood Hosp.. Once you have completed all that, you then meet with the doc again -he goes over all the results with you, then sends paperwork to your insurance company and if you have an Insurance that approves quickly (he will tell you that) you are about 2 weeks or so away from surgery at that point. Then a few days before surgery you will go back to Norwood hosp to get EKG, meet with Anesthesia team.

Who do you have for health insurance?

Kimberly, I have Blue Cross Blue Shield. My appointment is with Adam. How was the psych eval?? I have battled with depression and anxiety since I was about 12 and was medicated for most of the time, however I went off my meds over the summer just to see how I would be without them and I have been doing fabulously, just wondering if you had any idea if that was going to be a problem. Thanks for all the help I'm so glad to have found people that understand. Being overweight since I was 7 or 8 years old and still being only 20 most of my friends are all skinny and can eat whatever they want and hardly work out at all, so they have no idea what I'm going through. Its such a relief to find people that understand :biggrin: And from looking at your ticker it looks like we are about the same size and have about the same amount of weight to loose haha.

and I live in Attleboro too! hahaha

ahhh you are Golden with BCBS - that is what I have and got approved within 24 to 48 hours! The physch eval is nothing to be worried about - Dr. Newman is very nice older man...you will get a packet in the mail with a bunch of questions to answer (circle in answer type) and then you will go in to meet him - he goes over the info very briefly and then just asks you some open ended questions.....what was your childhood like, do you hae a support system, what type of eating habits do you have, etc. there is a $275 charge for that visit (I am 99% sure that is the cost).

What time is your appt on the 26th? I have a follow up appt with Adam on the 26th at 11am. lol yes small world (you being in Attle too)

Well thats a relief, at the seminar I know Dr. Glasgow said that BCBS is pretty easy to work with. And my appointment is at 11:30! What a small world indeed... :biggrin:

Yaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyy!! I got my date!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! April 18th is the day I shall join "the banded"!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tammy - Congratulations on the upcoming event.

You might want to double-check your weights listed above. It says you only need to lose 8 pounds. Looks like you should have put current weight 278. You'll be at 178 before you know it!

Where are you having your surgery? Good luck.

Sue

OOOOPs!! Thanks for pointing that out!! I keep looking at the ticker and that is correct, so I didnt even notice!!

Anyways, I am having it done at Mercy Medical in Springfield (I work there)by Dr. Kasper.

Anyone interested in having another support meeting in Taunton? Throw me some Saturday or Sunday dates that you're available please :thumbup:

Hi Sherry,

I would love to get together with the group. I live in Wrentham, so Taunton isn't very far away at all.

Hi Sue, how's it going? Please let us know how that goes, when you'll have it out and all. It sounds like you're doing well, other than the gall bladder, of course. Do you not just love the Glasgows? They are awesome. I saw Dr. Adam at the Stop and Shop in Norwood a couple weeks back, small world!

Good luck all you new bandsters, banding is awesome! We're all here for any questions you have.

Cindy

Hi Cindy:

Thanks for the good wishes. I'm sure all will go well with the gallbladder surgery.

The Glasgows are great doctors and the entire group is so helpful and caring.

We've missed you at support group, however it's been kind of "zooey" there lately. Sometimes there are just too many people there. Last time we had support group was the same night as the train crash in Canton and Dr. Adam was called away and Dr. Arthur and the plastic surgeon were being interrupted during the group meeting. It was crazy. Hopefully next time will be less people, and hopefully the doctors won't be called away to more pressing issues. Maybe I'll see you there on the 22nd.

Congratulations on being so close to goal! I am very jealous. I feel like I'm never going to get there, but I have a heck of a nerve to complain having not been banded for a year yet. I started as size 26/28, and now I'm wearing 18's comfortably, in fact some are very loose, but 16's are impossibly tight! My personal goal is to be a size 12, but I'm not sure I can get there without a tummy tuck. Hopefully I can because it's going to take some time to save for tummy tuck - will cost more than $10,000.

Take care, and keep in touch.

Sue

Sherry:

I'd like to join your group next time you get together. I'll keep an eye out to see when it gets scheduled.

I look forward to meeting you and the rest of the local bandsters.

Sue

Hi Sue,

You sound like you're doing great, and you WILL get there!! It hasn't even been a year yet for you. Loose Size 18's that is awesome, whoo hoo!!! Isn't it fun to watch the sizes go down? Now if I could firm up and tone some more, I'd be psyched. I'm doing the Couch to 5k and trying to incorporate some hand weights for my arms. Hope it gets some results. I've been very happy with things this past year, however, so I'm definitely NOT complaining.

Sorry to have missed the last (few) support group meetings. Sounds like I missed an eventful time!! I AM planning on coming to the April 22nd meeting, in fact I'm looking forward to it. Will the plastic surgeon be there again? I really am thinking about getting the "girls" done, but like you said, it costs plenty I'm sure. With a daughter in college, and the other just graduated from college (and her and her longtime boyfriend will undoubtedly be getting married in the next few years), don't know when the "extra" money will become available if you know what I mean.

Good luck you're doing great, and keep in touch.

Cindy

Cindyluhu:

I'll see you on the 22nd. I believe the plastic surgeon will be there. His name is Dr. John Fattore. I think he said he will be talking about tummy tuck in his next visit to support group. I don't remember if he said he'd be at the next support group though.

See you next week.

Take care.

Sue